Present day endless track laying work machines utilize a propulsion system in which a continuous flexible rubber belt is frictionally driven as it is entrained about a pair of wheels. Problems encountered in actually reducing such an endless track laying work machine to practice include how to maintain adequate tension on such belt around the entrained wheels, and keeping the belt in lateral alignment with the wheels when the wheels are subject to large lateral loads. Other problems are maintaining the structural integrity and providing long life for the belt, supporting mid-rollers, drive wheels, and idler wheels.
A common problem with endless track laying work machines utilizing continuous flexible rubber belts is heat. Heat is generated when the rubber belts come into contact with other drive components, such as the supporting mid-rollers, the drive wheel and the idler wheel. This is most prevalent with the supporting mid-rollers because of the speed at which they rotate in contrast to the drive and idler wheels, due to the supporting mid-roller generally being smaller in diameter.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.